1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector and an electrical connector assembly which are for electrically connecting a terminal portion of a signal transmitting medium to a conductive path formed on a surface of a product case.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, in various types of electronic devices or electric devices such as a mobile telephone, connecting a terminal portion of various types of signal transmitting media comprising a thin coaxial cable, a flexible wiring substrate, a printed wiring substrate or the like to a printed wiring substrate side with the use of an electrical connector has been widely practiced (for example, see Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-43939). The electrical connector is for connecting a terminal portion of a signal transmitting medium to a predetermined wiring pattern (circuit); however, normally, for example shown in FIG. 20, is configured in such a manner that a receptacle connector 3 is implemented in a circuit board 2 attached to the inside of a product case 1, and a plug connector 5 to which a terminal portion of a signal transmitting medium 4 comprising a thin coaxial cable or the like is connected is fitted to the receptacle connector 3. In addition, functions of electrical connectors 3, 5 used in this case are for performing a transmission of necessary information signal through a signal wire, and connecting a shield signal for grounding to a ground circuit through a shielded wire.
Meanwhile, the downsizing/slimming down of an electronic device or the like has been rapidly progressed in recent years, and accordingly the reduction in profile and reduction in cost in an electrical connector have been achieved, and therefore the simplification of the configuration of the abovementioned electrical connectors 3, 5 is in strong demand. In order to omit the receptacle connector 3, directly soldering a connected leg part of plug connector 5 to a conductive path on the product case 1 may be considered; however, heat resistance is low and direct soldering to the product case and implementation of an electric component are impossible, since the product case 1 is made from a resin molding material. Therefore, any commonly used electrical connector is such that provided with a fundamental configuration in which one electrical connector (receptacle connector) 3 is implemented on a printed wiring substrate 2 having a wiring pattern, and other electrical connector (plug connector) 5 is fitted to the implemented electrical connector 3. Furthermore, intending significant reduction in profile and reduction in cost has been gradually becoming difficult due to the constraints on such fundamental configuration.